Cancer nanotechnology mini-symposium brings students together

About 30 people attended a mini-symposium on cancer nanotechnology hosted by Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology March 23. The event showcased current research from nine students affiliated with its Physical Sciences-Oncology Center (PS-OC) and Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence (CCNE). Talks began at 9 a.m. in Hackerman Hall Auditorium.

“We become so focused on our own research that we don’t know what other students are working on,” said Stephanie Fraley, a predoctoral candidate chemical and biomolecular engineering in the laboratory of Denis Wirtz. “The beauty of an event like this is that we get to see work from across the campuses and across disciplines, all in one morning.”

Researchers, who each spoke for 15 minutes and fielded questions from the audience, included the following:

John Fini, director of intellectual property for the Homewood campus schools, also gave a presentation on intellectual property and work of Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer. Plans are in the works for the cancer nanotechnology min-symposiums to occur each spring and fall.

Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences-Oncology Center (PS-OC), also known as the Engineering in Oncology Center, is funded by a grant from the National Cancer Institute and aims to unravel the physical underpinnings involved in the growth and spread of cancer. Johns Hopkins Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence, also funded by a grant from the NCI, aims to use a multidisciplinary approach to develop nanotechnology-based tools and strategies for comprehensive cancer diagnosis and therapy and to translate those tools to the marketplace.